Feyenoord 4-2 Sparta Prague: Rotterdammers close to qualifying ...

Feyenoord moved within touching distance of qualifying for the next stage of the Champions League with an energetic 4-2 win against Sparta Prague.

Two goals in the first 10 minutes gave Feyenoord an advantage they never looked like surrendering, although a late own goal by Thomas Beelen set up a nervous closing phase as Sparta sensed an unlikely comeback.

Midfielder Quinten Timber was pleased with the team’s confident performance in the first half, but admitted the players were hanging on at the end.

“The two goals we conceded were a pity and we made it difficult for ourselves in the last 15 minutes, but the most important thing is to get three points,” he told Ziggo Sport.

The Czech side started brightly, twice testing Timon Wellenreuther in the opening five minutes. The goalkeeper had to be alert to keep out a curling effort by Markus Solbakken before Serbian striker Veljko Birmančević was put clean through but was unable to keep his shot down from a difficult angle.

Feyenoord’s first attack led immediately to a goal. Anis Hadj-Moussa served up a teasing cross that Sparta’s defence had to put behind for a corner. Hadj-Moussa’s kick was flicked across goal and fell in front of Gernot Trauner who met it with a downward header.

From the restart Feyenoord grabbed the ball in the centre circle and Igor Paixão charged forward before dispatching a shot low into the corner.

And 10 minutes later Hadj-Moussa rounded off another jinking run with a high strike into the corner to leave Sparta Prague with a mountain to climb.

Two minutes before the break Albion Rrhamani was left unmarked from a throw-in to steer the ball past Wellenreuther and set up a competitive second half.

But Feyenoord continued where they left off, with Trauner again threatening with a header from a free-kick, before Santiago Gimenez restored the three-goal margin with a trademark turn and volley in the penalty area after Hadj-Moussa had once again set up the chance.

Sparta had the ball in the net after 76 minutes when Birmančević bended a shot into the bottom corner, but the striker was a fraction offside when he was played through.

The effort galvanised the visitors and Beelen’s unfortunate tap-in past his own goalkeeper two minutes later set up a frantic finish, but Feyenoord’s defence stood firm.

The Rotterdammers now have 10 points from six games, which may well be enough to secure progress to the knock-out round for the teams finishing between ninth and 24th in the 36-team table.

Their final two matches in the group stage are at home to Bayern Munich on January 22 and a trip to French club Lille a week later.